Saturday, December 3, 2011

Dirty? Or Filthy?Or 'Thanda'? You decide...

This appeared in the Asian Age today.... reactions mangta! Your mini-reviews welcome!! *********** Dirty is as dirty does….

I grew up during ‘dirty-dirty’ times, when if every thought and deed wasn’t clinically sanitized, sterilised and declared ‘clean’ by society at large, it was deemed filthy, depraved,perverted, ‘ghatiya’ and ‘neech’. After watching this year’s hottest and most controversial film at a preview, I confess I remain a little confused, the morning after the night before.Had I watched a 21st century morality tale?Or a clever, manipulative movie that manages to stay a hair’s breadth away from unadulterated porn? What was the film trying to say once the heavy breathing, heaving and shoving got done? Was some ‘statement’ being made? Or was it just ‘entertainment, entertainment, entertainment’ ( an annoying line that gets repeated in the film twice over, in case it was missed the first time) Ekta was looking for? Either way, it doesn’t quite work. For, the most ‘shocking’ aspect of the movie is the absence of a story. Perhaps, there wasn’t too much material to work with. Silk Smitha’s life began and ended a bit too abruptly ( coitus interruptus as a simile wouldn’t be entirely out of place) for a rich narrative to be spun out of the skimpy material available. If the director was out to make some sort of a comment on the hypocritical society of the 70’s and 80’s, he may’ve succeeded to a limited extent.It was indeed a society that thrived on voyeurism in private but condemned sexuality in public. But, unlike his earlier ‘Once upon a time…” which traced the creation and rise of the dreaded gangsters who controlled Mumbai during the same time-frame, ‘Dirty Picture’ looks pretty one dimensional as it tracks the phenomenal if all-too-brief dazzle of a semi-porn ‘Southie’ star, whose thunder thighs spoke a language of their own. If men in the audience masturbated to Silk’s erotic and blatant gyrations way back then, the scenario is entirely different today, when nobody blinks or cares about on screen copulation, frontal nudity, pelvic thrusts, lip locks, off-colour jokes,double entendres, simulated sex and more. In such a blasé scenario, one wonders why a Vidya Balan would want to undertake such a high-risk role at this stage of her career? Kyon, Vidya , kyon? I have a soft spot for the incredibly talented Balan. I admit feeling highly protective towards her. Not that she needs ‘protection’. She is smart, sensible and sure of herself. So sure as an actor, that she has boldly, even recklessly gone, where her contemporaries wouldn’t dare. God knows what her compulsions were when she signed up for ‘Dirty Picture’. But after seeing nearly all of Vidya ( ummmm… there’s very little left to the imagination) on screen, it makes me wonder whether her courage will be enough to salvage what could follow in this brutal business, where a carefully constructed,fiercely guarded and lovingly nurtured ‘image’ can get battered after a single wrong move.Of course, Vidya had already prepared the ground and broken through the mould with her overtly sensual performance in ‘Ishquiya’. That had won sufficient laurels to establish her credentials as an actor ‘who dares’. But sucking Arshad Warsi’s thumb suggestively in’Ishquiya’ and almost ‘doing it’ with a long, black, snaky whip during a dance sequence in ‘Dirty Picture’, ain’t the same thing, honey! The camera almost violates Vidya’s body, which has been ripened like a plump, juicy peach for the role. It’s the closest anyone has come to believing a lifeless object ( camera) can commit rape. A lesser actress would have diminished these lewd scenes, making them nothing more than clips from a ‘blue film’ or a ‘pondi’ as porno films were dubbed then. Vidya manages to take the raunchy content several notches up on the strength of her personality. But what about the all-important image, after this? There is a telling line in the film when a character says, “After a woman shows audiences everything, what is left to sell?” Vidya must have thought it through before agreeing to ‘show everything’. For, it is also Vidya’s awe-inspiring cleavage and not just her rivetting acting alone that leave a long-lasting impression. One expects a first class performance from Vidya given her caliber. No surprises there. But nobody suspected Vidya had such tantalizing boobs!Since her breasts virtually play an independent role of their own in the movie, it’s pretty hard not to stare at those perky bouncies – there they are, sticking out aggressively in practically every frame.You are expected to remain fixated. Watching the movie with an informed filmi crowd, it was obvious, that the ‘in jokes’, insider gossip and dark secrets about how the film industry functions down South, were instantly understood and chuckled over. But will others ‘get it’? Will they even bother? Or is the main idea to keep the audience salivating, leering and possibly jeering? Was Silk really a closet feminist behind the tinsel nappies and satin nighties? Is Vidya telling us to look within and bond with our inner dirty selves? Does her thundering speech on society’s double standards serve a higher purpose than the message delivered so graphically by her thunder thighs? Heaven knows! For now, it’s okay for Vidya to lap up the attention , wink at cameras constantly, bite her lower lip, stick out her tongue and talk dirty. It’s all for a good cause. A new genre is born – ‘Rassam Noir’.By the way, there are a couple of fellas in the movie, in case nobody noticed. Naseeruddin Shah is brilliant as ‘Surya’, the self-obsessed, lecherous superstar. He gets the best lines, too, which he delivers with a delicious sense of irony. Each time a lackey gushes, “You are a genius, Saar,” Surya smiles smugly and says, “It can be such a curse.” Vidya richly deserves an award. But so do her very expressive boobs. A separate one.What I am worried about is will audiences accept one of our most talented stars if she gets to keep her clothes on in future projects?

Nor Dirty? Nor Filthy? Nor 'Thanda'?You whistle but the end tears fall a little. 40 aage aur 40 peeche confirmed. Last time when this movie hall was packed they say was during the movie "Gadar". Yes, I saw the movie at very small town single screen theater.***Star - no doubt.Re.: VidyaNo high-risk role because Vidya is talent known to everybody. Keep going

The movie speaks of the things beyond the vulgarity. In "power" - edited by you, there is an article which clarifies Vidya's own strategies behind her "bumbaat" exposure. She's an actress of her kind. Hats off to Vidya.

It reflects how society changed from no to dirty pictures to acceptance to dirty pictures as the audiences which includes families are forced to see lip locks,bikinis,Sexual gyrations in every other indian movie so its no surprise for them except its Vidya Balan.

I disagree with you. Vidya will still remain a goodie goodie actress in many books. She tried a different role and there's no harm in that. Atleast she's not like all the other actresses who have the same role in every film and and same wardrobe! Vidya always picks her roles after paying full attention to detail. You must look at her graph... from Parineet to Paa to Ishqiya and now Dirty Picture! She got it all... Salute to this lady! My article on this: http://divyavirmani.blogspot.com/2011/12/dirty-picture-ms-bombaat-balan.html

As much as they portray that Anju admired her silently, she wrote against Silk. For some reason, that is the feeling I get from this article.

To be fair to Vidya Balan, there was someone called Silk, a movie was made, she grabbed the opportunity and excelled. Though, I am not satisfied with her cleavage given that is all she could afford, however everyone acted brilliantly.

This movie could have been directed well. Someone has to take the risk, and when Vidya is taking the risk, let her!

“Filmse sirf teen cheezo ki vaje se chalti hai: entertainment, entertainment, entertainment. Aur main entertainment hoon.” Vidya Balan proudly proves this dialogue true for herself in the film—she’s clearly an asset for this film. But unfortunately this film doesn’t hold a strong enough script to keep its audience entertained throughout the film. Directed by Milan Luthria, The Dirty Picture, isn’t just ‘just another film’, but isn’t extraordinary as it seems to be. I appreciated the scenes where in she gives an interview in the bathtub to a reporter and when she starts dancing outside a journalist's house to ruin her party. The movie has catchy dialogues, but unfortunately all of them are used in the first half and the second half is quite slow and predictable (in true terms: thanda!). although i liked the dialogues, the speech she gives at the award function wasn't dirty enough. could've been more 'in-your-face' and bold. but overall, worth a watch. Just for Ms Balan. No-- she doesnt deserve a national award, but an applause for her courage and will power to make the films she truly believes in.

I haven't seen the film or like to but I really admire her guts to be able to portrait herself in that dirty image. That just shows she is not fake and stuck up. I like her even more. We all know enough about the simple Vidya so what if she showed her cleavage and thunder thigh? After all what is beauty without the glimpse of it? As long as she is not part of any of bollywood's casting couch there's nothing to be shamed of. Love your blogs, especially when you talk about your bygone times. haha naughty 70s tell me about it, my dad had broke the record by eloping with his girlfriend & took her on Harley-Davidson bike ride for couple weeks. Indeed dirty times, I must say. But what can you say? Life goes on..............hahaha

I have not seen the movie yet.As the saying goes :-" So long as Eyes shall see and Lips shall Kiss, so long Lives this and this gives life to thee !"Whenever there is a Show of Cleavage in abundance, the success of the movie is guaranteed !!

hello mam, A few days ago I have gone through your articles regarding 'fast' and 'dirty picture'. I enjoyed reading your article. your articles are more practical at the same time not boring like a few articles. I really appreciate your sense of humour. wish to read more practical and interesting articles in year ahead. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOOD WISHES

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